Category: V

robe volante

18th century, R, term definition, V

A dress originating in 18th-century France which was pleated at the shoulder and hung loose down, worn over hoops.

vest/waistcoat

17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century, term definition, V, W

A close-fitting inner garment, usually worn between jacket and shirt.

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In ‘The Hesitant Fiancée’ artist Auguste Toul

In ‘The Hesitant Fiancée’ artist Auguste Toulmouche paints a scene of a bride angry at the prospect of her arranged marriage as showcased by her direct gaze to the viewer. The piece features a more complex scene than Toulmoche’s usual work but continues his technique of representing lavish gowns characteristic of the period’s trends. Despite the prospect of marriage, the bride who sits in the center of the painting wears a relatively minimalistic dress. Her gown is a high-neck dress embellished by a white fur trim that goes down the center front of the bodice and around the armholes and wrists. The hem of the bride’s dress is then decorated with a strip of knife-pleated trim. Brides of a higher social standing were often dressed in gowns of white, ivory, or cream therefore the white silk depicted by Toulmouche represents the bride’s high status. Despite the lack of surface detail, the minimalist look was still considered fashionable for bridal wear and it wasn’t until a few years later that more elaborately decorated gowns would become more popular. All of the women in the painting are depicted wearing the fashionable wide skirted style of the 1860s made possible through the ‘crinoline’ foundation garment. The women around the bride all wear more colorful ensembles of purple, red, and peach but featuring the same wide skirt and high-necked dresses that were considered standard for the time. Read more at the link in the bio!

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French neoclassical painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique

French neoclassical painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres initially refused the commission for this portrait of Madame Sigisbert Moitessier, due to the amount of time it would take from his other artistic pursuits, but was so moved by her beauty he changed his mind. Significant revisions were made to the portrait before it was finished in 1856, taking twelve years to complete. Madame Moitessier’s original 1840s yellow dress was swapped out for an 1850s floral silk brocade gown, accessorized with Renaissance-revival jewelry. Ingres enjoyed painting Madame Moitessier so much he painted a second portrait of her in 1851, standing in a black Chantilly lace gown. Substansial sketches were made for both portraits in order to precisely replicate the detail of Madame Moitessier’s positioning and clothing. Read more at the link in bio!

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Stephen Burrows is a famous American designer cele

Stephen Burrows is a famous American designer celebrated for his use of graphic color blocking and matte jersey fabric. Burrows’ designs are made by experimenting with the stretch of knit fabric and the ‘lettuce effect’ which was a curling hem made by overstretching jersey that became a part of his signature. To Burrows, both dance and movement were essential requirements in how he created garments and when he was in high school he created dance costumes for his friends. In 1968 he opened his first boutique ‘O’ and in 1970 the president of the department store Henri Bendel offered Burrows his own boutique within the store called ‘Stephen Burrows’ World’. The line within the department store became extremely popular and captured the ever growing spirit of the 1970s independent woman. Burrows unstructured pieces and creativity in his designs were essential towards the American fashion industry as establishing itself as independent from the world of Parisian couture. Most famously, in 1973 Burrows was one of the five American designers invited to participate in the ‘Battle of Versailles’ fashion show, a competition between American and French designers. One of Burrow’s Battle of Versailles garments is currently on view as part of the Met’s “In America” exhibition (pink dress). Model Pat Cleveland, considered one of the first African American supermodels, served as Burrows’ muse and even modeled for him at the Versailles show. The same year, Burrows became the first Black designer to win a Coty award, winning again in 1974 and 77. Read more about the designer at the link in the bio!

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In the 1930s, Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli p

In the 1930s, Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli partnered with Surrealist artist Salvador Dalí to create a series of garments and accessories, including the 1937 Lobster Dress. Dalí’s enthusiasm for fashion and Schiaparelli’s love for shock tactics and challenging conventional beauty stereotypes made for a fruitful partnership. They would go on to collaborate on several other pieces like the Shoe Hat (1937) or the Skeleton Dress (1938). The original lobster motif was derived from Dalí’s 1936 Lobster Telephone and printed onto the silk organza dress by master silk designer Sache. While the motif was considered avant-garde for the 1930s, the gown itself subscribed to several elements of contemporary fashion such as its off-white color, a-line cut, and empire-waist silhouette. The Lobster Dress gained widespread notoriety after Cecil Beaton photographed it being worn by Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor and American socialite, and the photographs were featured in Vogue. The Lobster Dress has been recreated several times throughout the 21st century, including the 2012 Met Gala “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations,” when Prada designed a similar looking dress with a beaded lobster motif for Anna Wintour. Read more at the link in bio!

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This 1872 gown by the House of Worth is made of a

This 1872 gown by the House of Worth is made of a seafoam green silk along with woven braids and fringe trims. The dress itself is made of a skirt and two bodices; one intended to be worn during the day and the other for evening occasions. The 1870s itself was known for changing styles as the crinolined silhouette from the previous decade began to give way to a more narrow style. The dress features a bustle silhouette that is straight in the front and has soft drapery to add volume in the back. Woven braid and fringe trims are placed in a row down the skirt as well as on the edge of the bodice and end of the sleeves. The House of Worth was influenced by Middle Eastern enamels in the colors and the patterning that appears on the trim across the entire garment. Worth, considered the father of haute couture, was known for his ability to popularize and set trends. This 1872 gown reflects the growing interest in the use of horizontal trims for surface detail. In various gowns from the design house in the 1870s, Worth continually utilized the horizontal trim trend in order to reflect the detail and high quality of his couture garments. The use of a seafoam green silk for the base of the garment also reflects the popularity of various shades of green for garments during the time. Read more at the link in the bio!

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As part of our week highlighting garments in the ‘In America’ exhibit at the Met, we’re spotlighting the ‘Butterfly Dress’ by 1950s designer Charles James, which is featured among the Martin Scorsese designed vignettes in the Frank Lloyd Wright period room. The 1955 butterfly gown is emblematic of James’ work, showing his attention to detail and architectural techniques for his one-of-a-kind gowns. The designer was known for dressing some of the most famous celebrities and socialites of his day including Millicent Rogers, Austine Hearst, and Gypsy Rose Lee. The dress, made of silk chiffon, satin, and 25 yards of nylon tulle in shades of cream and brown, features a shift silhouette and wide tulle ‘butterfly wings’ on either side. The detailing on the dress features James’ tucking treatment also featured on his swan gown. The dress itself represents the almost architectural capabilities of James’ work, in which he approached making his gowns in an technical and structural way. The wide tulle butterfly wings take inspiration from the Victorian style of large bustles in the early 1880s. Experimentation with numerous different forms of fabric as well as more structural garments were also particularly popular at the time. Read more at the link in the bio!

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As part of our week highlighting garments in the ‘In America’ exhibit at the Met, we’re spotlighting the early 19th century period room designed by director Autumn de Wilde. The fashions from 1800-1809 were still influenced by the dramatic changes ushered in by the French Revolution of 1789. The neoclassical style took hold on both menswear and womenswear with clothing heavily inspired from classical antiquity. The typical silhouette for women was an empire waisted dress in lightweight muslin whereas menswear took more influence from the refined tailored look of Britain. Compared to the late 18th century, womenswear in 1800 got rid of typical foundation garments including panniers as well as conical stays. The chemise dress that became so popular originated in the 1780s when it was worn by influential high society elites including Marie Antoinette and Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Following the excavations of both Pompeii and Herculaneum, the second half of the 18th century showed a great interest in classical antiquity that eventually seeped into popular fashion. White as a prominent color in dresses, highly draped shawls, and even tightly curled hair all stemmed from an interest in replicating the ‘look’ of Ancient Greece and Rome. Read more at the link in the bio!

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As part of our week highlighting garments in the ‘In America’ exhibit at the Met, we’re spotlighting the work of Bill Blass whose evening ensemble is included in the exhibition. The 1973 look consists of a tailored jacket, top, and skirt made of silk, leather, and fur. The piece features a neutral geometric chevron and polka dot motif of white, taupe, and brown. Blass was unusual in that he favored blonde and camel colors rather than the flashy color schemes considered popular. Both the sleeves and collar of the ensemble are finished with a beige Canadian fox fur that complements the muted tones of the rest of the ensemble. The back of the skirt is made up of three wide panels to allow for greater movement. Blass’s designs were known for being simple but still able to convey the idea of wealth and seduction. Rich materials such as fur or sequined covered silks were frequently used by Blass in conjunction with simple silhouettes. Such pieces were referred to as ‘good investments’ by the fashion press since his work was praised for its high quality materials and construction. The piece is typical of the styles of the year and Yves Saint Laurent actually designed an ensemble with the same silhouette that featured similar uses of color and fur. Even today, the piece is considered emblematic of Blass’s technique of understated glamour. At the Met, the look is part of a highly theatrical “Battle of Versailles” installation by Tom Ford. Read more about the work of Blass at the link in the bio!

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As part of our week highlighting garments in the ‘In America’ exhibit at the Met, we’re spotlighting the work of Elizabeth Keckley whose striped evening dress is included in the exhibition. This 1863 evening gown was made for Mary Todd Lincoln, who accessorized the dress with jewelry made of seed pearls and bunches of flowers in the form of corsage, headpiece and bouquet. It’s an excellent example of fashionable dress from the early 1860s, with timely details including the natural waistline coming to a point at the center, lace bertha collar wrapping around the shoulders leaving décolletage exposed, and wide pleated skirt worn over a crinoline to achieve the popular bell silhouette. The gown was likely altered in March of 1867 when Mary Lincoln donated some of her collection of dresses, as she was criticized for their expense. The following owner removed the bertha collar and remade the bodice from fabric in the skirt which resulted in a narrower silhouette, a closed front with button fixtures, and a lower waistline. Elizabeth Keckley was a talented seamstress, businesswoman, writer, and civil rights advocate. Born into slavery in 1818 Virgina, she worked as a dressmaker until she was able to purchase her and her son’s freedom. She then moved to Washington, built a highly successful business creating clothing for wives of politicians, and befriended First Lady Mary Lincoln, for whom she eventually created 15-16 dresses every season. Her work, along with the work of other late-19th century designers like Louvinia Price and Fannie Criss, helped pave the way for the rise of mainstream African American fashion designers. Read more at the link in bio!

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